Air Force: Racial Slurs Written by Cadet Candidate Who Was Targeted

Hate-crime hoaxes seem to be on the rise, but the number is tiny compared with actual hate crimes, says Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino

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A series of racist messages made against five black Air Force Cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy prompted a call for treating others with "dignity and respect" in an address from the USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria. (Published Friday, Sept. 29, 2017)

Racial slurs posted outside the dorm rooms of five black students at the Air Force Academy were written by one of those students, the school said Tuesday, adding Wednesday that it would not discuss what led the student to allegedly stage the hate crime.

The announcement was a jarring turn in an episode that prompted the academy's superintendent to warn students that racists were not welcome at the school — a speech that attracted nationwide attention.

The student is no longer at the school, the academy said. A spokesman declined to say whether the student withdrew or was expelled, citing privacy laws. The student's name wasn't released.

The slurs were found in September at a dormitory that houses students attending the academy's prep school. The prep school is on the academy grounds but not part of the four-year academy program. It helps promising students meet the academy's entrance requirements.

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In a written statement Tuesday, the academy said, "We can confirm that one of the cadet candidates who was allegedly targeted by racist remarks written outside of their dorm room was actually responsible for the act. The individual admitted responsibility and this was validated by the investigation."

The statement added, "Racism has no place at the academy, in any shape or form."

Academy spokesman Meade Warthen said Wednesday he could not discuss what may have motivated the student, citing privacy laws.

"Regardless of the circumstances under which those words were written, they were written, and that deserved to be addressed," he said in an email to the newspaper. "You can never over-emphasize the need for a culture of dignity and respect — and those who don't understand those concepts, aren't welcome here."

Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, said hate-crime hoaxes are often meant to attract or divert attention or they can be a political statement.

"I think that schools and universities are perceived as places that are more embracing to victims of such a tragedy (as a hate crime)," he said. "A place where the culture is to rally around victims of prejudice, such as universities, would be a reason."

Hate-crime hoaxes seem to be on the rise, but the number is tiny compared with actual hate crimes, he said.

The FBI said 5,850 hate crimes were reported to law enforcement in 2015, an average of 16 a day. Levin estimated that no more than three hoaxes a month occur nationwide.